From my inbox:
Committed (day 6): “Still feel foggy headed but I have had terrible cold which started before I gave up drinking. Bit disappointed that normally I would over these five days have drunk 5 bottles of wine and 5 very large glasses of Baileys but I have not lost any weight! I think my skin definitely looking better :-). Turned down a weekend away which I would love to go to but this early in my journey the drinking temptation would be there and I don’t want to risk it.”
me: dear you, you’re going to hate me saying this but you will not (likely) lose any weight in the first 90 days sober. Sober first, everything else second 🙂 it just all takes more time. but it does come 🙂 I also didn’t socialize much outside my home in the first 6 weeks – smart girl you are to take care of yourself.
Committed: “Thanks Belle, I don’t understand the weight loss as I must be at least 6000 calories deficit in 5 days – I know I have been eating more sweet stuff but not that much lol xx. If I had carried on drinking and put myself on a healthy diet food wise in 90 days I could lose nearly 2 stone? The weight loss was a big thing for me :(”
me: true 🙂 I’m not a dietician. I can only report what I’ve experienced myself and what others in the challenge report. Weight loss will happen, but more slowly that you are imagining. As boozers we are very impatient. Part of getting sober is to realize that yes, it all happens, it just takes time. quitting drinking specifically to lose weight will be disappointing in the short term, but successful in the longer term. I guess probably it’s not just about calories in/out. cuz we eat differently when we’re drinking too, and it all has to shift around … our metabolisms have to adjust … quitting drinking ‘to be sober’ is great because it means that losing weight (later) is possible … as are other big changes you want to make in your life. sober first. everything else second (she says again, in an irritating way).
Committed: “Thanks Belle – hope you don’t think I am the argumentative one lol – just like to understand stuff. If I think about it, most nights I never ate supper as I filled myself up with wine – now I am eating supper and sweets! Also doing no exercise and having been off work for a month not even moving around generally so none of that helps … I hear what you say and will put my sobriety first and foremost.”
me: 🙂 I’ve seen a lot of people quit being sober because they load on too many goals at the same time (especially “give up” goals…). Getting sober is hard and takes a certain amount of singular focus. and then it’s easier, and then we take on the world 🙂 That I promise.
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